Guides and Protocols

Guides and Protocols

A variety of materials have been developed for judges, attorneys, team members and others to assist in the implementation of best practices into court cases.  

Some of the these materials, like the Parenting Time Guidelines and Education Court Report, were created and approved by the Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts.  Others, like the Team Guide for Transition Planning for Older Youth, were created with assistance and input from local teams.  Please click on the bars below for additional information.

Court Order Forms for Abuse/Neglect (3a) Cases

Court Order Forms for Abuse/Neglect (3a) Cases
Court Order Forms for Abuse/Neglect (3a) Cases

Standardized court order forms were developed in 2007 to assist judges in adhering to the requirements of Title IV-E. Click here to view court order forms.

Parenting Time Guidelines

Parenting Time Guidelines
Parenting Time Guidelines

The Parenting Time Guidelines were developed by the Parenting Time Subcommittee of the Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts, and approved by the Supreme Court Commission for use.  The Guidelines were based on national research on the type, frequency and duration of parenting time that is most effective and best for the children involved.

Education Court Report

Education Court Report
Education Court Report

The Education Court Report was developed by a multidisciplinary stakeholder group led by TTEOC Project Chair Judge Larry Gendler as part of the Supreme Court Commission on Children in the Courts.  The Report was developed with the input of a number of stakeholders, and was piloted in several counties before final distribution.

Pre-Hearing Conference Protocols

Pre-Hearing Conference Protocols
Pre-Hearing Conference Protocols

These protocols were developed by multidisciplinary committees and are in use by local teams and mediation centers across Nebraska.  To learn more about Pre-Hearing Conferences, go to the Mediation and Facilitation webpage.

Fostering Connections Checklist

Fostering Connections Checklist
Fostering Connections Checklist

In 2008, Congress passed into law the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act.  The law primarily addressed the issues of siblings, transition planning, education, medical care and relative placements.  In 2011, the Nebraska Legislature enacted some of its provisions into state law through Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-1311.01 (relative notice), 1311.02 (siblings) and 1311.03 (transition planning).  For assistance with implementing Fostering Connetions, go to the checklist below.  For more information, read our Spotlight Issues on Fostering Connections.

Checklist for Infants and Toddlers

Checklist for Infants and Toddlers
Checklist for Infants and Toddlers

As part of its Helping Babies from the Bench series, the Through the Eyes of the Child Initiative partnered with the Nebraska Early Development Network (EDN) to issue a checklist for maltreated infants and toddlers involved in the system.  The checklist can assist caseworkers and other stakeholders in ensuring that infant and toddler needs are adequately being addressed.

Team Guide for Transition Planning for Older Youth

Team Guide for Transition Planning for Older Youth
Team Guide for Transition Planning for Older Youth

At the 2012 Nebraska Children's Summit, local teams voted "Older Youth in Care" as one of the three priorities the TTEOC and its teams would focus on.  As one of the projects to address this issue, TTEOC staff and team coordinators project with parnters such as Project Everlast, CCFL training staff, and DHHS to develop a team guide.  The team guide is intended for use by local teams to help them assess how well they include young people in their court processes, and to provide assistance in identifying issues they need to address.

The guide includes a sample transition plan, questions that judges should ask older youth, a transition proposal checklist, and a youth inventory.